Today I learned that Samurai were expert bowman, using a long, asymmetrical bow called a Yumi which is the largest and most powerful in the world. While most people think of Samurai as renowned swordsmen (which they were), they were considered equally if not more skilled with a bow and arrow. The Yumi uses heavier, more accurate arrows that are guided by the archers thumb rather than two fingers like western long bow.
The bows are handcrafted by artisans today exactly how they were made in the third century out of individually selected pieces of bamboo with just the right flex and balance. It seems the perfect combination of deadly and zen.
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